The volunteer at the Academy of Arts since 1868, a student in 1869 Received medals: in 1874 - 2 silver; in 1875 - 2 and 1 silver; in 1877 - 1 silver; then the title of class artist of 3 degrees. (Kondakov)
Studied at the Academy of fine arts and received for the success of the 1st and 2nd silver medals, taught drawing in Alexeyevskoye real school. During the celebrations he often exhibited his paintings in the halls of the school, to Perm "the audience could admire" them. The painting "View of the city of Perm from the opposite Bank of the Kama" was awarded in the Perm periodicals. It was reported that the artist had presented a "new, great picture with very distinctive lighting of the city and the river hidden behind the clouds and zolotim them the outlines of the bright summer sun." In the foreground the viewer can see the fishermen and residents of Perm, "came to zakonskim breath of fresh forest air." The author notes, the picture is idyllic feeling. "But if the picture is valid in the sense of the viewer, evoking a particular mood, then it is not mechanical work, though, and the Studio brushes, and the soulful feeling of the artist, the work" - sums up the journalist, admitting the work is not only utilitarian value. Mercury was one of the most experienced teachers of drawing in the city of Perm. The work of his disciples prized the Academy of arts in the schools competitions on drawing, held in 1884, 1886, 1888. In 1888 watercolor students Nikolai Deryabin and Alexey Konev was awarded the silver medal. According to the author of the article in the "Perm provincial sheets", both represent "wonderful examples of utilitarian technical drawing". In 1890 the work of students Merkuriev was presented at the Kazan scientific and industrial exhibition.[
